1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to serial digital communications and, more particularly, to a serial digital communication superimposed on a digital signal over a single wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
The individual chips on a printed circuit board communicate with each other via metal traces that run from the pins on a first chip to the pins on a second chip. Thus, for example, if the first chip outputs a first control signal on a first pin, the second chip receives the first control signal on a pin that is electrically connected to the first pin via a metal trace. Similarly, if the first chip outputs a second control signal on a second pin, the second chip receives the second control signal on a pin that is electrically connected to the second pin via a metal trace.
The size of a chip is often driven by the number of pins that are required by the chip. Thus, reducing the number of pins required by a chip can significantly reduce the size of the chip. Smaller chips require less printed circuit board space which, in turn, leads to more compact and less expensive designs. As a result, there is a need for techniques that can reduce the number of pins required by a chip.